Entrance to Bolesworth Castle
Photo © Phil Williams,
1 January 2007
History
Bolesworth Castle was built for George Walmesley, a Manchester businessman,
to a design by William Cole in 1829, on the site of an older house dating from
1750. In 1856 it was bought by Robert Barbour, a Scottish businessman who founded
a cotton textile business in Manchester. It has remained in the Barbour family
since. In 1920–23 the castle was partly remodelled by Clough Williams-Ellis.
Architecture
The house is built in ashlar sandstone and is castellated. It is mainly in two
storeys with wide canted bays in the centre and on the right, and a wide round
bay on the left. At the centre, and recessed, is a three-story tower with turrets.
Around the house and in the grounds are a number of structures which are listed
Grade II. These are the wall and steps of the upper and middle terraces, the
wall of the lower terrace, a temple with a statue of Diana, the park gates,
gate piers and wing walls on the north drive, gate piers on the drive from Chowley
Lodge, an open shelter, a bridge over the fishpool, and a boat house.
Present day
The house and estate of 6,000 acres (24 km2) were inherited in 1989 by Anthony
Barbour, making him one of the largest landowners in Cheshire. He developed
the estate as a centre for small businesses, restoring redundant buildings and
modernising its 16 farms, thereby supporting some 800 jobs. The house contains
Barbour's collection of modern art. Anthony Barbour died in 2007. The estate
is now owned by his wife, Diana. The gardens are open to visitors by appointment
in April, May and October.